


Cold as Ice

by TheIkranRider



Series: F-Zero Fanfics [3]
Category: F-Zero (Video Games), Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Abduction, Betrayal, F/M, One Shot, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Originally Posted on deviantART, Partner Betrayal, Rare Characters, Rare Fandoms, Revenge, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:54:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25768495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheIkranRider/pseuds/TheIkranRider
Summary: Based on the 7th Lap, Michael Chain's Trap. Rick, Lucy, and Tinsel have been invited to Dream's birthday by her boyfriend, Truman, who were both fans of Rick and his racing. They'd recently found out that pilots had been disappearing. And the cocky Arrows decided to tag along. Will they be the next group of pilots waiting to be caught in the same net they'd fall in?
Relationships: Mrs. Arrow/Super Arrow
Series: F-Zero Fanfics [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1867759





	Cold as Ice

**A/N: This is based on the anime episode, or the English dub, Michael Chain's Trap. Rick, Lucy, the Arrows, and Tinsel visit a mansion from a fellow F-Zero fan. But what they find would incredibly shock them. Will they find the other missing racers, or would they get caught in the same net they had fallen in?**

It was sunset and Tinsel was on her way to the Mobile Task Force headquarters in her Silver Comet. She just obtained a huge silver Duel Disc from her friends Yugi and Joey; it was attached to her right arm and it was able to hold about two decks, though she never needed that many cards. She never liked it very much, as it kept falling off her flimsy arm, and it always became sore while she was trying to hold it up. But, she couldn't wait to show her friends on what it could do despite her struggling when she marched in.

Out of all the racers within the precinct, it was Dr. Stewart that knew about those Duel Monster challenges; while it was rare to find compared to all the hype of the F-Zero races, he caught on the competitions, including the ones that took place in Battle City last year.

"I think it's a very nice contraption, Tinsel. It can help you hone your skills as a novice duelist." His face fell when his voice became serious as he pointed out, "Although, you should get a much smaller disc since it doesn't suit well with your petite stature." As always, the doc was right.

Tinsel blushed as she rubbed her neck with her free hand, "Heh, yeah. It's said to house two decks, but I never needed that many. One deck should be fine for me. I don't use a lot of monsters, either, and those I do are mostly for beginners anyway. Nothing special."

"Speaking of which," Lucy said, "Rick is racing against Super Arrow in the Mute City Grand Prix."

"Really? What're we waiting for!?" Tinsel always loved to see her idol race. She stormed over toward the large plasma screen and glued her eyes on the Televid. The Dragon Bird was neck-to-neck with the King Meteor, and Tinsel recognized it as the machine belonging to a superhero of sorts.

"Wait, he's racing Super Arrow? THE Super Arrow? The guy that took F-Zero off of suspension by convincing the F-Zero Congress seven years after the Horrific Accident?"

"Yes, the very same." Stewart confirmed. He sighed, "I'll never forget that fateful race; only he and I were the very lucky ones that endured the incident at Fire Field unscathed."

Before he was about to explain more, he was interrupted by the commotion on the course. The King Meteor spun out of control, and Tinsel was ecstatic when Rick conquered the track; out of all the 24 contestants, he emerged victorious!

* * *

Moments later, the Task Force toasted him to a job well done. "Cheers!"

"You were great today, Rick." Jody said.

"Congratulations!" Lucy added with more enthusiasm.

"Yeah, what made you hustle so hot today, Ricky? Did you promise a pretty girl you would win her back the trophy!?" Jack queried joyfully. Tinsel and Lucy couldn't help but giggle at the statement. Rick just grinned.

"That is something you would do, Jack." EAD answered.

"I think he fought so hard to win that race because he wants whoever kidnapped those other pilots to come after him. Am I right, Rick?" Dr. Stewart assumed. He wasn't wrong when it came down to it.

Everyone faced him and gave him wary looks. He even had one himself as he looked upon his teammates. But, then his cockiness got the best of him in the end. He replied with another smile, "Whatever happens, happens, I guess. Good night." He then stood up and left. Everyone became silent in the room. All except Tinsel who looked around with wide, wandering eyes.

"What do you mean..? What has happened around here?"

Jody and Dr. Stewart explained that while she was hanging out with the Duelists, which was difficult to juggle as a trainee on both jobs, racers have wound up missing. Those that came in first were ironically the first people to be abducted, and they had faded into obscurity over the past few days. All the officers were so worried that the worst would come to him. That put Tinsel in a state of alarm, "Oh no..." She also remembered the supreme Grand Prix Champion. "Well, I'm sure it's nothing Capt. Falcon can't handle. I mean, if anything should happen to him, he'd be out in a jiffy. A-and even rescue the other racers." Her demeanor broke in frustration, "I just wish we'd find a way to contact him..."

"He's a bounty hunter, Tinsel. He'd never want to be bothered by crises like this one. It'd be hard to reach him either way." Jody mentioned.

The Silver Comet pilot sulked. "Please be careful, Rick."

* * *

Several days later, they saw Rick who was so buzzed over the night's incident just after his victory. "Hey, I just got a call from that guy, Truman. The one that got attacked after the race last weekend. It's Dream's birthday and he's throwing a little party for us at his mansion."

"Mansion, huh?" Jack boasted, "The guy must be loaded."

EAD stepped forward, "What is the girl like?"

Rick answered, "You'll see for yourself. They're both huge racing fans and I told them about you. So you're all invited, too!"

"That's great, Rick! I just love parties." Lucy exclaimed.

"How about you, EAD?"

"You can count me out; I would not fit in at a party."

Rick let out a smirk, "Whadda ya mean? Just because you're an android? You gotta stop stressing about stuff like that, or you're gonna blow your motherboard."

"Mama Mia!" He never liked the sound of that. If he got fried, he'd be offline for good.

The detective backpedaled as he raised his hands. "I-I'm only kidding! Chill out."

Lucy giggled.

Jack just shook his head and used a hand as if he just swatted a fly, "I'm not going, either. Those she-she parties aren't for me."

"Well, that's very unusual, Jack; this isn't like you since you always wanted to be at the center of the action." Tinsel stated. The others couldn't agree more.

Dr. Stewart entered the conversation. "Are Super Arrow and his wife coming too, Rick?"

"Yeah, what's the deal with those two?" he pondered.

"They're a couple whackos who think they're superheroes; they're the ones that keep the zero in F-Zero."

The team just chuckled at that. Though Tinsel was a little more acceptable since she was never crazy about them; other than putting the competition back on its feet from its seven-year suspension, thus F-Zero X, they never really did anything heroic in hindsight.

* * *

Rick, Lucy, and Tinsel arrived that night, and they couldn't believe their eyes. The entire lawn was completely trimmed so evenly from the hedges to the fresh grass, and it was glowing from all those little streetlamps highlighting the sides of the thin, marble pathway. It led up to a three-story monster, completely lit from the inside. Rick didn't exaggerate when he said it was truly a mansion, as if it could actually be seen from space. Truman and Dream were waiting for them, and the Arrows who followed them there, on top of the adhered brick stairs.

They escorted their guests inside, and they beheld a large dining area complete with a massive crystal chandalier hanging above a long rectangular table covered by white satin. A butler wearing a tall tux served them cavier on fine china as well as red wine in flutes.

Rick was sitting at the right side of the table next to Lucy, Tinsel, and the Arrows. He became awestruck as he looked around. "Wow. You inherited all this from your grandfather?"

"That's right." Truman nodded with a grin. He was in his twenties; had short, sleek, black hair glistening under the fluorescent lights; narrow spectacles; and a green, tightly buttoned top. He sat at the left side with his girlfriend, Dream, sitting next to him. Dream was a brunette with shiny, flowing, shoulder-length hair, thin makeup, and wearing a white, elegant dress.

"I wish I had a grandfather like that." Super Arrow boasted over his supper.

"I wonder if he got Dream from his grandfather, too." Mrs. Arrow whispered into his ear.

"I didn't. I met her a couple months ago. By accident." Truman flashed back to the time he first met her. It was at the dead of night in the middle of a quiet Mute City street. "I was driving a bit too fast when I turned a corner, went into a skid, and flipped over. I was thrown from my car and got knocked unconscious." It was surprising they had noticed that he never owned a hovercar; Rick said before that his shiny, large minilimo was just an antique on wheels.

Dream just ran to his side, and Truman was covered from head to toe in filth and oil. "Are you alright? Try to open your eyes."

He did and smiled up at her weakly. His vision was going in and out.

Dream felt so relieved when she smiled. "Ah, that's great. You're gonna be fine."

"She never left my side." he said. His mind then shifted to the moment he woke up in a hospital. Dream was right there with him. "You should go home."

She simply just shook her head and still had that sweet smile pasted on.

"I call her my Dream come true." He said as he faced her and returned to the present.

"Well, I hope you guys are as happy together as Mrs. Arrow and I are. Hm hm." Mr. Arrow nodded with pride.

"Happy as birds of a feather flock together." Rick then faced the Arrow couple, "Especially cuckoo birds." Tinsel couldn't help but snicker at that.

"Dream, did you fall in love with him right away?" Mrs. Arrow asked, disregarding the insult.

"Or after you found out he was rich?" Lucy butted in.

She just shook her head again. "I didn't know he was a millionare. I only knew I loved him." Her voice softened at that other sentence.

"I bet I can love a millionaire too, unless he didn't have any money." The carrot-top commented. Tinsel appeared confused.

Truman then stood up. "I hope you have all enjoyed your dinner. Now if you don't mind I have something I want to show you." He then faced his girlfriend and suggested, "I'd prefer if you would wait here, Dream." She immediately obliged; Tinsel almost forgot it was her birthday, after all.

Super Arrow just ran on and on loudly with a huge grin, "As you know, I am a superhero and as a superhero I have a superfeeling that you got a superspecial surprise from a superspecial someone waiting for you downstairs."

 _Hm, more like your superego_ , Tinsel thought aloud under her breath.

Truman looked like a deer in the headlights as he looked behind him from the arched window, but he immediately recovered. "Uh...yes, that's exactly it, Super Arrow."

The super cocky fruad just kept nodding his head in great affirmation, as if he acted he was some sort of psychic.

Tinsel stood up. "Well, I've got a very special surprise myself! I've been wanting to show this off to all of you." She reached down and pulled out the large device from beneath her seat. "Behold, the Duel Disc!" Its lustrous body shined beneath the light.

"Wow, I've seen these around here before. For one this size, you must be quite the Duelist." Truman complimented. It was very surprising that someone else knew about those Duel Monster competitions aside from Stewart and the inevitable fact he's rich.

Just then, after she raised her arm, it began to slide off and drop to the floor with a clang. "Agh! Agh, agh. Oh no! My cards are scattered all over the floor, agh!" Tinsel got on all fours picking up the pieces. Her face was as bright red as a stoplight. "Ergh, I knew I never should've brought this thing with me. Oh, this is so embarassing..!"

Lucy offered, "Do you want any help?" Rick looked over.

"No no no, I'm fine. I just need to gather my deck together. It happens all the time, y'know." She looked up at the guests and then the host who looked at her with a stern face. "You guys can go without me, I'll catch up with you later. Agh. Ow, my arm." She held it in agony as it was starting to get sore again. "God, I wish I could've found a smaller one," she muttered.

The rest of the party animals followed Truman down a dark room. He never even bothered to turn on the lights as they were descending the stairwell.

"Are you sure you're ok? Do you need like an ice slab or something? It can heal you instantly." Dream offered as she bent down to her height.

"No, I'm fine. I just can't wear it as much. Oh, Dr. Stewart was right when he said it's not built for my stature." She rose herself up after she reloaded her Cards as the machine automatically shuffled them. Then, the top of her scalp hit something. "Ow!" Tinsel rubbed it, trying to minimize the pain. Her head struck underneath the table. "Ah, talk about reinforced glass..! Ow."

By the time she finally resurfaced, Dream wanted to treat her minor strains and pains, but she refused. However, something caught her eye. A cinabbar glow shined close to the ground outside the tall, arched, rear view window overlooking the yard.

"Hmmm, what's that ominous glow in the distance?" Tinsel wondered.

Following the sight, she looked below and saw a very horrifying display of disarray. Outside, she instantly recalled the numerous F-Zero machines that were facing each other in awkward angles. She identified them as the Wild Boars; every one was in ashened multi colors, excepting the one smack dab in the center of the lush property, which to her knowledge belonged to Michael Chain.

"Oh no, it's the Wild Boar! They belong to the Bloody Chain! Hide!" She immediately drew the long velvet drapes closed.

Dream gasped, "T-Tinsel, what's going on?"

She faced her with glazed, wild eyes, "Dream, I need you to hide somewhere. Get Truman, Rick and the others and find a place to hide! The Bloody Chain is a dangerous street gang known throughout the galaxy..! I thought we got rid of these guys..."

"Ok. I'll go," she squeaked.

Tinsel had a change of heart, and she grabbed her hand. "No, wait. ...I'll go. I know Rick and Lucy better. Just-please hide!"

Dream turned and headed toward another door at the right corner; Tinsel could've sworn it belonged to a closet. With her heart racing at the edge of her chest, she faced the opaque opening and slowly tiptoed toward the entrance. She then looked down and her eyes laid on something neon red. She ducked and saw a laser gate. From the upper floor at the corner hiding the majority of it, she made out Rick, Lucy, and the Arrows cornered against a wall, with Truman at the outside, gleefully holding a small remote.

Her breath was caught in her tight throat. _Truman..._ This-this was all a setup. _So he was the one who captured all those other racers._ Her expression changed to wonder, _Was he working alongside the Bloody Chain all along..?_ She then saw an attempt done by the foolish Super Arrow as he reached out and touched the gate, which was excruciatingly painful to the touch, and through eavesdropping Truman was making some kind of deal with Mike. She slowly rose and then gave the hallways a quick scan; no one was there, not even Dream, nor any backup for her imprisoned friends and the psuedo-superheroes never had their agonizing owl.

Tinsel knew from that moment it was now or never. She realized the fate of Lucy and especially Rick were in her quaking hands. Without a choice nor any hesitation, she grabbed her Duel Disc. She then found an old landline phone with a pointed receiver covered in golden lining and dialed a number for the Galaxy Police.

"Hello, my name is Tinsel Steelus. I'm at Truman's mansion, and he's dealing with Michael Chain. Watch out for fireworks. Hurry, he's got a gun!"

As soon as her eyes spotted Truman, she ran toward the closet door Dream was in. She panted as she harshly whispered, "Dream, you gotta break things off with Truman. He was in charge on plotting to capture those F-Zero racers, and he just caught my friends. He's on his way outside to negotitate with the Bloody Chain. I want you to head into the basement and wait for me!"

Her breath was shallow. "He-he left us. He left us!?"

With some determination she laid her hands on her shoulders, "But that's NOT! What I'm gonna do. Ok?" Dream nodded. Tinsel glued her ear toward the door, expecting to hear a sound, but there was none. After a few moments, she jiggled the knob, opened the door, and they both stepped out. "Go to the basement. Help should be on its way. Tell them what's happening. I'll hold off Truman and the Bloody Chain."

She nodded and she left without a word.

Tinsel recalled last year when she was chasing Falcon to Lightning, as well as the strategy she and the Duelists pulled... She rearranged some Cards within her heavy Duel Disc.

* * *

When she was ready, she hesitated at the front door. Knowing this was too easy, she found the back door instead. She was pleased with the mile deep pool, but she wasn't too distracted. She passed a couple advanced sprinklers, hoping she wouldn't arm them and get herself soaked. She crept her way behind bush after bush, until she saw both Michael along with Truman and his gang.

She nearly made out the conversation as Mikey congratulated Truman for trapping more F-Zero pilots, even those in the Elite Mobile Task Force and the retarded Arrows. "The Task Force would be vulnerable without their two champions," the leader of the pack said in a gruffy tone. "Once we capture the rest of those meddling officers, the universe shall fall to its knees. And then..." his golden teeth glimmered, "We shall make you as an honorary member sharing our blood."

"I'll do-whatever you ask, Michael." Truman bowed. "Just as long as you don't harm my beloved Dream."

He laid one of his calloused hands on his smooth scalp. "No harm should befall any of you, Truman. As long as you keep the bargain. Together, we had already captured three sleazy F-Zero racers, and we're this close to catch Capt. Falcon in our net."

Tinsel couldn't believe what the HELL she just heard.

"Never mind Dark Million. As long as we would rule all of Mute City, we will be unstoppable! Hah ha ha ha!" The rest of his passe just joined in on the glory!

Tinsel then burst out of her hiding place, breaking many leaves asunder. "Hey, Mikey! Remember me, you big, black oaf!"

Everyone looked over, though Mike wasn't very pleased. "What?! Who're you calling big, black oaf?!" He roared. Even when he pointed to himself, letting one of his golden jewelry cling and jiggle. "I am Michael Chain, and this is my gang! We have some unfinished business to attend to. So, why don't you do us a favor and BEAT it!"

Despite the threat as well as his size, Rick just entered her mind providing her with courage and she never felt intimidated. "Never, Mikey. For you see..." She brightened and pointed a thumb to herself. "I am Tinsel Steelus, a member of the Elite Mobile Task Force, and I've come to force you to release my friends!"

Everyone, except Truman, laughed.

"Young, yet foolish. The Task Force has already been locked up! You have no chance against the Bloody Chain. What would it do with such a weak specimen like you!? You can't beat us!"

"Really? Not even with...THIS?" She took out a card that had an image of Kuriboh. It was a small creature with brown fur; big, beady yellow eyes with purple pupils; and tiny green limbs with yellow claws. Everyone, except their leader, was scared silent. "T-th-that's the monster that blew up our machines!"

"Ahhh, get it out of here!"

Mike was so dumbfounded, as was Truman. "What? What're you talking about?! That's just a pathetic, little fur ball. He's too cute to be a threat."

"Mikey, he's deadly. Let's get outta here!" Most of the gangsters hightailed out. Tinsel inserted the card inside the Disc's loading deck and then used Multiply on top of it; the light goldenrod card with the X symbol was activated as it illuminated. Kuriboh materialized and shot out, then more appeared, and they each clung to the Boars. Some of the members were running away, but they were already caught in the destruction as each creature glowed very brightly...

BANG! BANG! BOOM!

Every machine exploded, including Mike's Wild Boar. It actually took off like a small rocket as it flipped over and landed straight on top of the muscular man! Sirens wailed as they headed to the stunning sight while each car was being obliterated! The officers apprehended the crooks, including Mike who was trapped beneath his own Boar.

The Task Force and the Arrows noticed the enormous shockwaves the explosions left as they had some sawdust rain on them. The ground shook and Dream nearly cowered from the quakes. They hardly noticed the laser gate dimming and eventually die down.

Truman was knocked off his dastardly feet as he tried to run inside. But he was just lying on the marble.

The special forces were very impressed how the rookie was able to find and destroy the Bloody Chain by herself. And Rick and Lucy couldn't be any prouder. She told them what just transpired involving her Duel Disc and called out Truman and Mike for capturing those three missing F-Zero pilots; she still wondered if one of them was Falcon.

Despite Dream's horror as she looked at her betrayer, a couple agents twisted his arms back as they started to apprehend him, expecting his controversial actions to make him wind up with possible cold sleep. Looking at the devastated Dream, with rivers of tears leaking from her eyes and running off her makeup, Tinsel's throat burned.

As she saw him get dragged away, she immediately stormed forward. "Wait! Do not arrest him. It wasn't entirely his fault. Maybe he can help find the other missing racers."

"Tinsel? Didn't you say he was responsible for all this..?" Rick was overwhelmed, he could hardly think straight, let alone expect Tinsel to do a heel-face turn. There was a pregnant pause, then she looked at him and spoke, "Yes. ...But it was a mistake and it would never happen again." She could barely compose herself.

In the end, she said Truman made a terrible mistake: as he was desperate for his and Dream's safety, and relied on the Bloody Chain for protection as long as he captures more F-Zero pilots. He was so much in peril that he wanted to trap the Task Force in exchange for his life. Tinsel told the cops to let him go and drop the charges.

"We might as well, since you were the one who led us to the Bloody Chain. We've been looking for them for years..."

After they finally left and scrapped away all the Boars, she looked over to Truman with trembling, clenched hands. She stomped over to him while Rick and Lucy pleaded her to stop, and startled him by forcing him back till his body hit a wall. She grabbed him by the folded fancy collar, wrinkling it as tight as an octopus claiming its prey. Truman's head hit the wall with a bump.

He cried for mercy, "No, Tinsel, please, just give me one more chance..!"

"One more chance is all you get!" she hissed directly in his face. Dream was shocked at Tinsel's cold demeanor, even Rick and Lucy. "If. You. EVER capture my friends again, or if I see you kidnap another F-Zero racer, it's gonna be your head in the goddamn smasher!" She forced him back again, harder thsis time as she let her adrenaline and enhanced strength choke him. She looked into his terrified eyes with so much resentment. "You know where they are, you know where they're hiding. Find them, or I'll find you..!" Again, she forced him back as hard as she could, then his body fell like a Jenga tower. She marched up to Dream.

Tinsel exasperated, "Dream? I'm sorry. But you're gonna have to break things off with him. He's not the man you thought he is. He's a backstabber and a traitor that only wants greed and chaos. Money and fame can utterly destroy you. This is for your own good..! Cause from this moment on, we'll be as enemies. I'll only spare you since it wasn't your fault. But..."she looked over at the fallen Truman, quivering in fear in a fetal position. "I won't go easy on him, and I hardly forgive and forget."

Tinsel marched away when Dream muttered, "Thanks for the warning."

She took off to her Silver Comet before a startled Rick caught up to her, calling her name. "Tinsel! _Tinsel!_ " Unfortunately, it zoomed off leaving him in its arctic wake. As he uncovered his face from his right arm, he just looked out at the darkness. Then he moped, "Tinsel..."

She disregarded the speed limit, as she was in a hurry to get back to headquarters. She never felt this way before, with her mind full of resentment as well as going thru a nervous breakdown. She stopped, let out a shrilling scream, and her body just let go with her breath so fast and shallow as she burst into tears. Her face began to melt as it heated up...

By the time she finally partially calmed, the Comet was already in the garage; she was lucky the room was dark so passers wouldn't "see me like this." Tears were still flowing from her eyes as she hyperventilated. By the time she recovered a little of composure, she ignored concerned looks from her co-workers until she reached the office where Jody and Stewart stood.

They looked at her distraught face and immediately became curious. "Tinsel?" the doc queried. She hardly said a word.

She just stuttered, "I-I...have done something terrible..!" She sulked as she tried hard to hold her tears back. The medico put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Tinsel..? What happened? Where's Rick and Lucy? Have you found anyone else?" She swallowed hard and her throat was dry.

"Doc... It was Truman. He was responsible for everything..."

Stewart and Jody escorted her to a seat and she filled them in: from the moment she saw the Bloody Chain awaiting outside, to the sight of Rick and the others trapped in the basement with Truman, to using her Kuriboh and overcoming the gang before the Feds arrived. Needless to say, they were also impressed on her astonishing achievement, as a rookie of the Task Force standing up to a large chain gang by herself.

"I didn't know you had it in you," the captain praised.

"Jody, she just went through a mental breakdown. She's not supposed to make any physical aggression on a suspect." Stewart reasoned.

"Maybe... But it was for self-defense, and Lucy, Wheeler, and the Arrows were spared. I know everyone has a breaking point. And so far, no other racers have been abducted yet. Other than the last three. Reports are yet to come in for the captors' whereabouts. However...she may need some evaluation." She looked at Tinsel's broken face, then she led her to the lavatory and urged her to hang her face in a cold, running faucet. Tinsel kept on breaking into tears and sweat as she made contact with the soothing sensation. A towel was there to hold her face down, then when the faucet was off, she helped Tinsel dry it. The Comet's pilot was nearly red as a Blood Hawk, and her breathing was shallow. Jody recommended her to take tomorrow off for her recovery and also to try and lie down as soon as she gets back home. Tinsel almost immediately obliged and thanked the two senior officers.

But before she left, she spoke to Stewart, "Hey. Remember when you said that the Arrows 'put the zero in F-Zero'?"

"Yeah?"

"...They do." Tinsel then slowly walked away and headed straight to her flat.

Jody and Stewart then saw Rick rush in, wondering where Tinsel was. They assured him that she was just here and left toward her home. They now all realized that Tinsel can be as cold as ice, and quite vicious, but only if she needs to be; the cyborg did appreciate her motherly instincts. And Tinsel wished that her dark side, much to the horrors of Rick and Lucy, wouldn't prevent her from working with her friends again.

* * *

Little did they know that Black Shadow had observed her actions from afar. "Ohhh...she does have a dark side too, does she..?" His voice echoed in the vacant, dimly lit chamber. "Then her dark persona can be put to good use..." He motioned to a mysterious cloaked figure that was covered in bone. "Skull, make the arrangements for our 150-year-old guest. Rick's reunion with her would be...quite welcoming."

"As you wish, Lord Shadow."

He wandered off, leaving the archdemon alone in his aspiration. "I shall make use of your evil intentions quite soon, my dear, Tinsel." His voice boomed as he laughed quietly.

**A/N: Wow, this took since February to get it done? Dammit!**

**Alright, I'm not really going to do EVERY Lap in the anime, but I had a grudge with Truman for a very long time. His treachery made me go through the roof! The suspense was definitely a killer, and I never liked the ending when Dream forgave him as he tried to redeem himself afterwards; every traitor needs to suffer from their actions, and so should he!**

**The title was like a play on words for the Foreigner song of the same name. And yes, Tinsel, and myself, CAN be as cold as ice, but it's not for no reason. Everyone does have a breaking point, and she was just pushed over the edge. Truman really did it for her, and Jody was actually sympathetic for her, and impressed when she managed to overthrow and help catch the Bloody Chain for the Feds. I'm sure the 3 so-called racers would be safe after the episode, though there was no wedding this time, just heartbreak. Like I said, Truman deserved the worst, and I was never a fan of the Arrows either. Also, this fic reminds me of the hit Kelly Clarkson song, Dark Side, as Tinsel showed hers. And it did have a little shoutout to F-Zero GX, X, the original, Home Alone 2 and Rambo: First Blood Part II, my personal favorite.**

**So...Black Shadow wants to exploit her dark prowess. I'm not sure what my next project is. Until then, keep the faith, futuristic racing fans.**


End file.
